Sunday, February 26, 2012

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter is by Tom Franklin. In the 1970s, in rural Mississippi there were two friends. One a lower middle class white boy, Larry, and the other the son of a poor black single mother, Silas. One night in high school Larry takes a girl to the drive-in and she is never seen or heard from again. Since no body was ever found Larry was never charged. He claimed he didn't kill anyone. Now twenty years have passed and "Scary Larry" leads a solitary existence shunned by everyone, even his former friend. Silas is now the local constable and when another girl goes missing Silas must investigate his former friend and face the past they have both buried. A fantastic mystery novel and a powerful story of friendship and redemption.

The Color Purple is by Alice Walker. A classic tale of two black sisters. Celie, who at fourteen is abused by her father and given in marriage to another abusive man; and Nettie, her sister whom she saves by having her run away from home. Over the years we follow Celie's life in letters she writes to God and later to her sister who is now a missionary in Africa. This is a moving, poignant, and disturbing tale of two women and their fight to find themselves and each other. A must read classic of American literature.

Mythical Monsters: Legendary, Fearsome Creatures is by Gerrie McCall and Chris McNab. A beautifully illustrated collection of monsters from myth, legend, and the big screen. A charming book for younger readers interested in such creatures.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Shadowland is by Alyson Noel. The third book in the Immortals series. Ever is desperate to find a cure for Damen so she gets a summer job to immerse herself in the study of magic & meets another man from her past. Is Damen really her soul mate or is it the mysterious Jude? She plays matchmaker with her history teacher and her aunt and rescues teenage immortal twins only to find Damen wants to be a dad. Then there's the evil Roman and who knows what he's plotting? Will she ever really be with Damen or should she chose Jude?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Flights Against the Sunset: Stories that Reunited a Mother and Son is by Kenn Kaufman. Kaufman, a famous bird enthusiast, returned to his hometown to visit his mother who was living in a care center after a serious stroke. This book is a collection of stories Kaufman told his mother of his adventures birding around the world. It is surprisingly touching and inspirational. It will be enjoyed even by those who are not interested at all in birds or birding. A very pleasant surprise.